Impactful Documentary About Learning Differences on Indiegogo

Denver, CO – On March 2 2015, 14-year-old Samuel Gannuch launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise funds to finish his independent film documentary on Denver Academy, Settling Differences. Sam, the founder of Crystal Skye Films, is a DA student.

“Founded in 1972 Denver Academy is a leading elementary, middle and high school for diverse learners. The teachers are adept at handling students with different learning styles, dyslexia and ADHD,” explains the creator, “The faculty and student body create a supportive learning environment where each student’s strengths are celebrated and each student’s individual learning profile respected. This helps the students achieve a level of success foreign to their previous academic and social experience in more traditional school environments.”

The film will feature interviews from both students and faculty at Denver Academy. It examines the effects of different learning styles (auditory, visual, or kinetic) and learning disorders (including processing disorders, dyslexia, and ADD) on social dynamics in school. Many of these students struggle with low self-esteem in traditional school systems that make them feel discriminated against and different from their peers. Denver Academy has created a space where students with learning differences can make friends and flourish.

Settling Differences will also explore the history of the school site which began originally as a tuberculosis hospital, and subsequently became the Bethesda Mental Hospital before DA purchased the site in 2001.

“The main goal of the film is to alleviate stereotypes, discrimination, and prejudice against people with learning differences. I know it is a problem that has plagued me, it has plagued many of my friends,” says Gannuch, “This film could change people’s lives if you allow it to do so.”

Samuel Gannuch has come to Indiegogo to raise funds for equipment, advertising, and distribution to Netflix and other streaming services. In exchange for pledges, backers can gain access to a variety of rewards including your name in the credits, a DVD copy of the documentary, a poster, and even an interview that could make it in the final film.

To support this project or learn more about Settling Differences, check out the Indiegogo page here or the Crystal Skye Films website.